The present invention relates to the general field of arcade games, and more particularly, an arcade game having interchangeable modules or features.
The present invention consists of a game that involves players shooting water, air, light or any other equivalent means at a target where activation of the target causes the progression of a race progression indication device or means (e.g., an entire column may rise, an object on a vertical or horizontal plane may move, water may rise up a column, a progression of lights may be illuminated). The first player whose race progression indication device reaches a predetermined level or point is deemed the winner of the game (e.g., a column rises to a predetermined point or all the lights on a column are illuminated). The present game is unique over known columnar games in that the game of the present invention is adapted to be interchanged into many different games or distinct variations of the same game. For example, the base unit of the game may be fitted with various race progression indication devices (i.e., device that shows the progress of a particular player in the race) and/or winner indication devices (i.e., device that indicates the winner of the game or race) to form various arcade games. For example, one arcade unit may be used to form:
a.) a race game where the entire column rises to a predetermined level and where the winner""s column has a ring of light that glows to indicate the winner; or
b.) a race game where the entire column rises to a predetermined level and where the winner""s column has a round platform affixed to it which rotates (i.e., spins) to indicate the winner; or
c.) a race game having a stationary column, where the column is comprised of a plurality of lights or disks of lights placed along the length of the column, and where the lights are progressively illuminated to indicate race progress (i.e., as the target is hit by the player more lights are illuminated until one player illuminates all lights on his column thus winning the race); or
d.) a water race game having a stationary column which is progressively filled with water to indicate race progression, and where the player to fill his column with water is deemed the winner of the race (details of such a water game are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,230 to Mendes, Jr. which has been incorporated by reference).
The base unit of the game of the present is pre-wired to accommodate any one or more of the games indicated above. With the wiring of all accommodated games in place in the unit, the particular race progression indication device and/or winner indication device may be placed into the base unit and wired to the corresponding wire connections in the base unit to form a particular game. If another game, or variation of the same game is desired, the installed race progression indication device and/or winner indication device may be replaced with other race progression indication devices or winner indication devices to form another game. For example, instead of having a top platform that glows to indicate a winner, the column may be fitted with a spinning platform that spins to indicate the winner. Instead of having a rising column to indicate the progress of the player in a race, a stationary column with rising water may be used to indicate the progression of the player in the race.
The interchangeability of the present invention provides a flexible arcade game that may be configured for many different games. This xe2x80x9cplug-and-playxe2x80x9d feature allows the owner of the game to swiftly alter the unit to form a different game or variation of the same game. By having the ability to change the type of game, or features of the game, players are given an opportunity to experience various types of games or may choose to play a particular game that they find most enjoying. The owner of the game may configure the game according to the manner in which he or she believes will attract the most interest and players.
In addition to the features mentioned above, objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent upon a reading of the following description.